Property of unknown value was destroyed after a Wednesday morning fire gutted down one of the dormitories at the Chewoyet Boys High School in West Pokot County. Chewoyet national school has experienced four dormitory fires within four consecutive years since the year 2016. The dormitory, one of the newest in the school, was reduced to ashes and nothing was salvaged in the 5.00 am fire.
Speaking at the school, the school principal Joseph Korir said the cause of the fire has not yet been established and police officers are investigating the Incident. He added that the fire brigade responded and managed to contain the fire but it was too late to salvage the students’ property. He assured parents that all students were safe because the fire started when they were in classes for morning studies.
The Parents Teachers Association chairman Mr. Tingaa Phillip while addressing the parents said the security team and the school executive will meet and deliberate on the way forward. “We have not been able to establish the cause of the fire but the security team is conducting investigations to establish the real cause,” said Mr.Tingaa.
He confirmed that no one was injured but the affected students and the board of management are expected to have a meeting concerning the fire break out and decide whether the students will be sent home or not. “The dormitory and property worth millions of shillings were destroyed. Boxes, uniforms, bedding, beds and books were reduced to ashes” he said.
However, the angry parents who were at the school demanded the disbandment of the school board of management over the perennial fire outbreaks in the school. They called for an explanation from the school principal on how the school has been experiencing frequent fires year after year.
One of the parents Mansour Mohammed said that they are tired of their students being sent home to buy beddings every year after a dormitory is razed down. West Pokot County Education CEC Christine Apokoreng who visited the school called on schools in the County to be cautious and keen about students complaints, and seek resolutions before it results in major havoc and property destroyed.